Spinning-top



B. SEGASSIE. SPINNING TOP.

(No Model.)

- Patented Sept. 1, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

EDWARD SEGASSIE, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

SPINNING-TOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 567,008, dated September 1, 1896. Application filed June 1, 1896. Serial No. 593,874. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD SEGAssIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spinning-Tops; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of spinning-tops in which a spring is employed for the purpose of imparting to the top the desired rotary motion; and it consists in the construction, novel combination, and adaptation of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claim appended.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the top with the spinning device in its operative position thereon. Fig. 2 is a diametrical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a section taken in the plane indicated by the line :0 0c of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the casing of the spinning device with the movable tube removed therefrom. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of said movable tube removed from the casing. Fig. 6 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the top; and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the top as adapted to be spun by a string.

In the said drawings similar letters designate corresponding parts in all of the views.

A indicates a top having a spindle a and a wheel 6. I provide the wheel b with a winding-stem c and with a notch d in said stem to receive the projection e of the spindle, with which it is held in engagement by the removable collar f, fixed to the spindle a by a setscrew g, as better shown in Fig. 2. This manner of removably fixing the wheel I) to the spindle permits of a collar it being interposed between the wheel b and the projection e on the spindle, as shown in Fig. 7, so as to render the wheel I) loose on the spindle and permit of the top being spun with a cord. The supplementary collar h is furnished with the top, and when desired it may be placed on the spindle between the collar f and the stem 0 without interfering with the top being spun by the device presently to be described.

B indicates the device for spinning the top A, and 1' indicates the body or casing of said device. This body or casing 't' is preferably of a circular form, although it may be of any other suitable form, and it is provided in its upper and lower walls with apertures j 70,

which are surrounded by collar-flanges l m,

as shown. The lower collar-flange m is provided in its lower edge with one or two (preferably two) notches n, which are preferably of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 4:, for a purpose presently described, and the tube 1), which is arranged in the body or casing t' and extends through the collar-flanges Z m, is provided with a notch r in its lower end, which is preferably similar in form to the notches n of collar-flange m, but is disposed oppositely thereto, as illustrated.

.9 indicates a spring which is designed to rotate the tube 19 and thereby spin the top, as

will be presently described. This spring 8 sur-.

rounds and is connected at one end to the tube 19, as indicated by t, and is connected at its opposite or outer end to the body or casing 2', as indicated by u, whereby it will be seen that'when contracted and suddenly released it will rotate the tube 19 at a high rate of speed. Said spring sis also designed and adapted to normally hold the tube 19 in and return it to the position shown in Fig. 2 after it has been depressed.

In the practical operation of my improvements the device B is held in the left hand and the top A in the right hand and the spindle a of the top is inserted in the tube go until the projection e of the spindle rests in the notch r of tube 19, as shown in Fig. 1. The top is then turned toward theright, when the projection e, engaging the abrupt wall of the notch r in thetube 19, will turn said tube also, and will consequently contract the spring 5. After each turn of the top and tube 19 the projection e of the top may be seated in one of the notches n of the collar-flange m, so as to prevent expansion of the spring 8 and consequent rotation of the tube p and the top While the operator is taking another hold on the top. This seating of the projection e in one of the notches n of the flange m also serves, when the spring 5 is sufficiently contracted, to prevent casual expansion of the spring and the consequent rotation of the tube 19 and top. lVhen the spring 8 is sufficiently contracted and it is desired to spin the top, it is simply necessary for the operator to hold the top and top-spinning device in the position shown a slight distance above the surface on which the top is to be spun, and then press downwardly on the upper end of the tube 19, which is preferably closed, as

shown. This downward movement of the tube p will disengage the projection c of the top-spindle from the notch 02 of flange m, and will release the spring 5 and enable it to rotate the tube 1), and consequently the top, at a high rate of speed. hen the projection c of the top-spindle is disengaged from the notch n of flange m, the topAwill drop away from the device B, and will spin for a long period of time on the surface where it is placed.

It will be observed that in the manner described the top may be very quickly and easily spun. It will also be observed that my improvements add but little to the cost of a top, and that in case the spring or any other part of the device B is impaired or broken the top may be readily adapted to be spun in the usual manner with a cord. It will be further observed that the projection e of the spindle serves the twofold function of fixing the wheel I) to the spindle and engaging the notch r of the tube 19 and the notches n of the collar-flan ge m,which is an important advantage.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- The top described comprising essentially the pointed spindle a, having the elongated project-ion c,at an intermediate point of its length, the wheel I), having the tubular stem 0, loosely receiving the spindle a, and having the notch (l, in its upper end receiving the lower end of the projection e, the collar f, arranged upon the spindle to, below the stem of the wheel and having a set-screw engaging the spindle, the collar h, also having a setscrew and adapted to be secured on the spindle below the collar f, and also adapted to be interposed between the stem of the wheel and the projection e, and the spinning device having the body or casing provided with the apertures in its upper and lower walls and the collar-flange surrounding the aperture in the lower wall and having a notch in its lower edge adapted to engage the projection of the top-spindle, the tube extending through the apertures in the walls of the casing and adapted to receive the top-spindle and having the notch in its lower end adapted to engage the projection of the top-spindle, and the spring arranged in the body or casing and surrounding the tube and having one end connected to the tube and the other end connected to the casing,substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDXVARD SEGASSIE.

"Witnesses:

P. BRUGIER, Jonas 0. EYRICH, Jr. 

